At nineteen, Elias Ward is certain of only one thing: he’s running out of options.
His small town is shrinking by the year, his father’s debts are closing in, and the future he once imagined has narrowed to a single, suffocating road. Then a stranger steps off the last evening train with an envelope that should never have found Elias—a letter from his late mother, written on the night she disappeared, hinting at a choice she made and a secret she left behind.
Inside is a map of sorts: a list of names, a date that hasn’t arrived yet, and one haunting line in her handwriting:
When the road divides, follow the sound of your own courage.
Suddenly, Elias is forced to decide whether to stay and inherit a life he never wanted, or follow his mother’s trail into the unknown. As he chases fragmented clues through forgotten towns and half-told stories, he uncovers a hidden history of sacrifice, betrayal, and quiet bravery that stretches far beyond his family.
Healing
Hopepunk
Coming of Age
Journey
Found Family
Supernatural
Mystery
Urban Fantasy
Redemption
Audiobook details
GenreAction and Adventure
Length19 mins
Narrated bySelect Your Own
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateNov 18, 2025
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1Chapter 1
5Chapter 5
2Chapter 2
6Chapter 6
3Chapter 3
7Chapter 7
4Chapter 4
About the author
Derek Desousa
Derek Desousa is a storyteller who loves twisting the ordinary into something unexpected. His books mix mystery, humor, and supernatural weirdness in equal measure, usually with characters who didn’t ask for cosmic responsibility but got stuck with it anyway. When he isn’t writing, Derek can be found nursing a too-large cup of coffee, exploring forgotten corners of the city, or daydreaming about alternate timelines where he gets more sleep.
His stories invite readers to ask: What if the life you missed came looking for you?View all by Derek Desousa
